Shoulder instability can occur in a number of scenarios. For instance, one of the most common residual effects faced by stroke victims is shoulder instability, caused by a subsequent decrease in neuromuscular tone and muscle strength. Of the nearly 800,000 people in the United States yearly who suffer a stroke, as many as 37% of survivors develop shoulder instability. Current shoulder braces require the wearer to either remove the brace to perform adjustments or have another person assist in making adjustments. Shoulder braces have been previously designed in two main ways.
The first, and most popular, method is through the use of a simple shoulder sling. Shoulder slings are designed intentionally shorter than the length of the wearer's upper arm so that, once fastened, the sling pushes the head of the humerus toward the glenohumeral joint to approximate normal shoulder function. However, a shoulder sling does not enable the wearer to simultaneously wear the device and adjust the amount of force applied to the arm. Therefore, adjusting a shoulder sling without first removing it requires an additional person and additional steps to perform the adjustment and re-installation on one's shoulder.
The second leading approach is to use a more extensive brace that provides a stable base around the trunk and upper shoulder and uses Velcro straps attached to an arm cuff that pulls the cuff towards the glenoid fossa. This method is even more difficult for the wearer to adjust. A person familiar with the brace must assist the individual to don and adjust the brace. The complexity and number of straps makes this design time consuming and difficult to adjust the forces acting on the arm and shoulder. Individuals using either of these designs often become dependent on others to properly put on and adjust the brace.
The present invention relating to a functional shoulder brace allows an individual suffering from shoulder instability to easily put on and, while wearing, adjust the fit to approximate normal shoulder function without the assistance of another individual. This will give individuals who suffer from shoulder instability a greater amount of independence, convenience and rehabilitation.